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Monday, April 8, 2013

Oatmeal Refrigerator Cookies

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Several years ago, I learned a trick from my oldest daughter that helped put my love-hate relationship with cookies on a more even keel. When my children were in high school, I actually stopped baking cookies because they disappeared so quickly. It was not unusual for a batch of them to be eaten on the same day they were made and I thought my efforts, though probably appreciated, were not savored. Rather than fuss about it, I stocked the cookie jar with vanilla wafers and ginger snaps and let it go at that. There were no complaints. They had cookies and my ego and hurt feelings were kept at bay. Now it happens that while both my girls are great cooks, their kitchens are quite different from each other and certainly different than mine. They both bake cookies. The oldest, who is responsible for my searching out recipes like the one I'm sharing with you tonight, freezes portioned cookie dough and bakes small quantities of pre-shaped cookies as her boys demand them. Her cookie jar is never full, but she always has cookies for them in the house. I've been collecting recipes for slice and bake cookies for several years now and when I saw this recipe in Bon Appetit magazine, I knew it would fit right into my collection. It makes basic oatmeal cookies that are more flavorful than most, because they have a mild nutty flavor that comes from the whole wheat flour used to make them.

The cookies are easy to make, but the dough is a sticky mess that can be hard to work with. You'll want to roll the dough into two 12 inch logs and you'll need parchment paper and plastic wrap to do that. You'll also need to keep your hands damp to prevent the dough from sticking to your fingers as you work with it.

The logs are placed in the freezer for at least 4 hours before they are sliced. I cut the logs into 1/2 inch slices and bake the cookies in their frozen state for about 15 minutes. The dough must be kept cold to be workable and you will need a sharp knife to cut through it. This recipe will make 4 dozen crisp oatmeal cookies that are perfect for dunking. I know you'll enjoy them. Thank you, Bon Appetit.

Directions:
1) Whisk both flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and nutmeg in a medium bowl.
2) Using an electric mixer, beat butter and both sugars on high speed until light and creamy, 2-3 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, beating to blend and scraping down bowl between additions. Beat in vanilla.
3) Reduce speed to low. Gradually add dry ingredients and mix just until combined. Fold in oats and raisins.
4) Divide dough between 2 large sheets of parchment paper. Using paper as an aid, roll up each piece of dough into a 1-1/2-inch diameter log. Wrap in plastic; freeze for at least 4 hours and up to 3 weeks.
5) When ready to bake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Unwrap dough and cut into 1/2-inch-thick rounds (return unused dough to freezer); place 2-inch apart on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet.
6) Bake cookies until edges are golden brown, 15-18 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack; let cool. Yield: 48 cookies. Store in an airtight container or freeze.

Mary, your daughter reminds me of myself when my sons were young. There were always cookie logs of raw dough in our large freezer. Saved me from buying packaged cookies for the guys & their friends. :)~Judy

Mary, This is a great idea! Now we can bake up a few Oatmeal cookies when we want them... Up to now, we bake the whole batch and then I feel obligated to eat them before they go stale! Take Care, Big Daddy Dave

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